HAZOP STUDY

CHAPTER No.11
HAZOP STUDY
INTRODUCTION
A HAZOP survey is one of the most common and widely accepted methods of systematic
qualitative hazard analysis. It is used for both new or existing facilities and can be applied
to a whole plant, a production unit, or a piece of equipment It uses as its database the
usual sort of plant and process information and relies on the judgment of engineering and
safety experts in the areas with which they are most familiar. The end result is, therefore
reliable in terms of engineering and operational expectations, but it is not quantitative and
may not consider the consequences of complex sequences of human errors.
The objectives of a HAZOP study can be summarized as follows:
1)

To identify (areas of the design that may possess a significant hazard potential.

2)

To identify and study features of the design that influence the probability of a
hazardous incident occurring.

3)

To familiarize the study team with the design information available.

4)

To ensure that a systematic study is made of the areas of significant hazard

potential.

5)

To identify pertinent design information not currently available to the team.

6)

To provide a mechanism for feedback to the client of the study team's detailed
comments.

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A HAZOP study is conducted in the following steps:

1)

Specify the purpose, objective, and scope of the study. The purpose may he the
analysis of a yet to be built plant or a review of the risk of un existing unit.
Given the purpose and the circumstances of the study, the objectives listed
above can he made more specific. The scope of the study is the boundaries of
the physical unit, and also the range of events and variables considered. For
example, at one time HAZOP's were mainly focused on fire and explosion
endpoints, while now the scope usually includes toxic release, offensive odor,
and environmental end-points. The initial establishment of purpose, objectives,
and scope is very important and should be precisely set down so that it will be
clear, now and in the future, what was and was not included in the study. These
decisions need to be made by an appropriate level of responsible management.

2)

Select the HAZOP study team. The team leader should be skilled in HAZOP
and in interpersonal techniques to facilitate successful group interaction. As
many other experts should be included in the team to cover all aspects of
design, operation, process chemistry, and safety. The team leader should
instruct the team in the HAZOP procedure and should emphasize that the end
objective of a HAZOP survey is hazard identification; solutions to problems
are a separate effort.

3)

Collect data. Theodore16 has listed the following materials that are usually
needed:
Process description
Process flow sheets
Data on the chemical, physical and toxicological properties of all raw
materials,, intermediates, and products.

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Piping and instrument diagrams (P&IDs)
Equipment, piping, and instrument specifications
Process control logic diagrams
Layout drawings
Operating procedures
Maintenance procedures
Emergency response procedures
Safety and training manuals

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Table-11.2: HAZOP Guide Words and Meanings

4)

Guide Words
No

Meaning
Negation of design intent

Less

Quantitative decrease

More

Quantitative increase

Part of

Qualitative decrease

As well as

Qualitative Increase

Reverse

Logical opposite of the intent

Other than

Complete substitution

Conduct the study. Using the information collected, the unit is divided into
study "nodes" and the sequence diagrammed in Figure , is followed for each
node. Nodes are points in the process where process parameters (pressure,
temperature, composition, etc.) have known and intended values. These values
change between nodes as a result of the operation of various pieces of
equipment' such as distillation columns, heat exchanges, or pumps. Various
forms and work sheets have been developed to help organize the node process
parameters and control logic information.
When the nodes are identified and the parameters are identified, each node is

studied by applying the specialized guide words to each parameter. These guide words
and their meanings are key elements of the HAZOP procedure. They are listed in Table
(11.1).
Repeated cycling through this process, which considers how and why each
parameter might vary from the intended and the consequence, is the substance of the
HAZOP study.

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5)

Write the report. As much detail about events and their consequence as is
uncovered by the study should be recorded. Obviously, if the HAZOP
identifies a not improbable sequence of events that would result in a disaster,
appropriate follow-up action is needed. Thus, although risk reduction action is
not a part of the HAZOP, the HAZOP may trigger the need for such action.

The HAZOP studies are time consuming and expensive. Just getting the P & ID's
up to date on an older plant may be a major engineering effort. Still, for processes with
significant risk, they are cost effective when balanced against the potential loss of life,
property, business, and even the future of the enterprise that may result from a major
release.

HAZOP Study of Storage Tank for Propylene

A HAZOP study is to be conducted on Propylene storage tank, as presented by the piping
and instrumentation diagram show in fig (10.2).
In this scheme, propylene is unloaded from tank trucks into a storage tank
maintained under a slight positive pressure until it is transferred to the process.
Application of the guide words to the storage tank is shown in Table (10.2) along with a
listing of consequences that results from process deviation. Some of the consequences
identified with these process deviations have raised additional questions that need
resolution to determine whether or not a hazard exist.

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Propylene
Storage Tank

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Figure-11.2: Piping and instrumentation diagram

Deviations
from
operating
conditions
Level:
Less

What event could cause

this deviation

Tank runs dry

Consequences of this
deviation on item of
Process
equipment under
indications
consideration
Pump cavitates

LIA-1
FICA-1

More

Rupture of discharge line Reagent released

LIA-1,

V-3 open or broken

FICA-1

V-1 open or broken

Reagent released

LIA-1

Tank rupture (busting of

Reagent released

LIA-1

vessel)

Reagent released

LIA-1

Unload too much from

Tank overfills

LIA-1

Tank overfills

LIA-1

column
Reverse flow from
process
Temperature:
Less

Temperature of inlet is

Possible vacuum

colder than normal

More

Temperature of inlet is

Region released

hotter than normal

External fire

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Tank fails

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